A US woman who shot and killed her husband and two adult children before taking her own life is thought to have committed the shocking crime as a result of being ostracised from the religion she was raised in.

Every time I tell a mate I’m doing a story on cryptocurrency, they invariably ask me the same two questions: should they invest their own hard-earned money, and which cryptocurrency will get them a Lamborghini/yacht/island quickest?

PM urged to detail future of agreements

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has called on the prime minister to outline the future of national funding agreements worth hundreds of millions of dollars, saying hospitals and schools will suffer if they are allowed to expire.

NSW would lose $2.4 billion over four years if current funding was not continued under new national partnership agreements which reward states for meeting reform targets in areas such as health and education.

Should the commonwealth not renew agreements due to expire in June next year, NSW would lose $459 million.

Mr O'Farrell called on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to outline the future of the national partnership funding, saying if it wasn't continued "it will have a devastating impact on hospitals and schools".

"We need to know if this funding gap needs to be filled," Mr O'Farrell said.

"Without these funds, beds will close. That means people will wait longer for elective surgery, people will wait for longer in emergency departments and wards will close - it's as simple as that.

"The NSW government needs to be able to plan for the future - and we need to know if these national partnerships will be renewed."